23 Felony Charges Scheduled to Go to Trial on September
CENTRAL ISLIP, Long Island (WABC) – Former New York Congressman George Santos, who became infamous for various fabrications and fraudulent activities, is expected to plead guilty in a federal case to avoid a trial set for next month. According to sources close to the case, Santos has informed federal prosecutors of his intention to enter a guilty plea in court on Monday, though he could still change his mind.
Santos, who faced 23 felony charges and was scheduled to go to trial on September 9, was notified by prosecutors earlier this week that witnesses involved in the investigation were aware of his decision. Two additional sources confirmed that Santos intends to plead guilty and may deliver a statement in court acknowledging his offenses. The specific terms of his plea deal and potential sentencing remain unclear.
Court records indicate that an in-person hearing has been scheduled for Monday afternoon at the request of the prosecution and Santos’s defense team, though the reason for the hearing was not detailed in the records. Santos and his attorney, Joseph Murray, have not commented.
Talking Points Memo initially reported the news of Santos’s anticipated plea. Santos, who is 36 years old, was first charged in May 2023 after a thorough investigation revealed a series of financial crimes. He was later hit with additional charges in October. Initially, Santos pleaded not guilty to all accusations and likened the prosecution to a “witch hunt,” a term often used by former President Donald J. Trump. However, his apparent decision to change his plea comes after his expulsion from Congress in December, where two-thirds of the House of Representatives voted to remove him—making him only the sixth member in history to be expelled.
Santos’s former campaign treasurer, Nancy Marks, had already pleaded guilty to falsifying the campaign’s financial records, including a fictitious $500,000 loan coordinated with Santos. Federal prosecutors have not disclosed whether they plan to call Marks as a witness in Santos’s case.
Most charges against Santos stem from his 2022 congressional campaign for New York’s Third Congressional District, covering parts of Queens and Nassau County. Prosecutors allege that Santos and Marks falsified official campaign filings to inflate donations and create a misleading image to attract support from national Republicans. Additionally, Santos was accused of defrauding donors by charging their credit cards multiple times and soliciting funds for a fraudulent super PAC. Some of this money was used for personal expenses, including paying off credit card debt and purchasing luxury items.
Santos was also accused of lying about his income on federal disclosure forms and fraudulently collecting $24,000 in unemployment benefits while employed.
Earlier in the week, a court hearing indicated that preparations for a trial were moving forward, with approximately 800 potential jurors being summoned and prosecutors readying up to 30 witnesses. Santos, who had continued to plead not guilty during his court appearance on Tuesday, faces charges including wire fraud, money laundering, theft of public funds, conspiracy, and aggravated identity theft.
Santos’s political career has been marred by unraveling lies, from claiming to have worked on Wall Street to falsely stating he held various academic degrees and had personal wealth. His downfall began with a New York Times investigation that exposed the numerous falsehoods he used to deceive voters during his campaign.
After expulsion from Congress, Santos briefly capitalized on his notoriety by offering personalized video messages on Cameo, though his asking price quickly diminished. He later ventured into other money-making efforts, including a documentary project and joining the subscription platform OnlyFans. A report by the House Ethics Committee revealed that Santos had improperly spent Republican donor funds on at least one payment to the website.
The case of George Santos marks a dramatic and swift fall from grace for a politician who once claimed to represent a new face of the Republican Party, only to see his career undone by his deceptions.
This article is an adaptation of a news piece The New York Times initially published.
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